The Mad Dog of the Duke's Estate

Chapter 40

After the female knight from the Imperial Guards appeared, the atmosphere inside the store froze. The sudden arrival of this uninvited guest set off a tense standoff between her and the three customers. Hugo shot a displeased glance at the knight.

It was understandable, given that the Imperial Guards had always been the Oceanwolf Knight Order's fiercest competitors. Their rivalry stretched back for a long time. Even before Duke Halo dethroned the tyrant king, the relationship between the two groups had been fraught with conflict. The fact that Duke Halo had killed Cain Latorre, the former leader of the Imperial Guards, only deepened the animosity.

Of course, the current Imperial Guards weren't the same organization as it had been in the past. It had been practically rebuilt from the ground up.

Still, does she have to hate us this much? Caron thought, frowning as he watched the knight who seemed to be glaring daggers at them.

It was true that the two groups weren't on good terms, but her hostility felt excessive. It was almost as if she saw them as enemies. Even the Imperial Guards who had escorted them to the capital hadn't displayed such open animosity. From the aura the female knight was giving off, it seemed as if she couldn't coexist under the same sky with them.

Just as the tension in the room seemed thick enough to cut with a knife, Luhon walked out of the room, smiling as he greeted her warmly. "Dame Amy, you're here."

"Please, stop with the formalities already! Just talk to me the way you used to. Besides, I'm not even an official knight yet, just an apprentice!" Amy protested.

"Even so, you're an excellent knight in my eyes. Have you eaten yet?" Luhon asked, still in his gentle tone.

"No, not yet. I was planning to eat with you... I didn't know you had customers," Amy replied, her eyes still full of suspicion as she looked at Caron and his group. After a moment, she turned to Hugo and said, "It's been a while, Sir Hugo."

"Dame Amy, we haven't met since the last exchange match. It seems like you've improved quite a bit since then," Hugo responded.

After exchanging brief greetings, Hugo looked over at his younger cousins and said, "This is Amy Altura from the Imperial Guards. You might have heard of her. She's considered one of the most promising talents who will lead the Guards for the next fifty years. Go ahead and introduce yourselves."

"Oh, so you're the famous Amy Altura?" Leo exclaimed, recognizing her.

Caron, however, quietly moved behind Leo and whispered, "Who is that?"

"You've seriously never heard of her? Amy Altura, the sword genius who reached 4-Star when she was seventeen years old? Wow, you've really been living under a rock," Leo said.

"Well, I really didn't know. So she's good with a sword?" Caron asked.

Amy turned her gaze to Caron and said, "You must be Caron Leston. And the one next to you is Leo Leston, right?"

"How did you know?" Caron asked.

"The senior knights told me. They said the grandsons of Duke Halo had arrived in the capital. And if Sir Hugo is personally escorting you, it could only be you two," Amy explained.

Her ability to read the situation seemed good. However, the hostility laced within her words remained a mystery. Caron wondered if there was some deep-seated grudge between their families.

As Caron watched her with a perplexed expression, Hugo quietly interjected, "Caron, Dame Amy deeply respects Sir Cain Latorre. She once told me that her goal was to become as great a knight as he was."

"What's so great about someone who sold his soul to a devil—" Caron began in a tone that dripped with disdain.

But the moment the words left his mouth, Amy's eyes flared with anger and she shot back, "What did you say? How dare you! You think you can just spout such nonsense?"

"Even if you are Duke Halo's grandson, that doesn't give you the right to insult his name! Caron Leston, since you've slandered Sir Cain's honor, I challenge you to a duel!" she declared.

"And what gives you the right to do that?" Caron retorted coldly.

"Because I will carry on Sir Cain's will!" Amy replied. It seemed her admiration had crossed the line into fanaticism.

Cain—no, Caron—looked at the passionate young knight before him, barely able to suppress his laughter.

This is unbelievable, he thought. Here Amy was, someone he had never met in this life, challenging him to a duel in honor of his past self. It was the kind of absurdity one could only encounter after being reincarnated.

"Are you sure Sir Cain would even want that?" Caron asked.

Amy shook her head firmly, rejecting the very notion of Caron's implication. "Sir Cain was a hero who remained loyal to his lord, even after his soul was sold. I don't know what your family teaches you, but that's what he means to me!" she insisted, her voice unwavering.

"But what if staying by his lord's side wasn't by choice?" Caron asked.

"...What?" Amy blinked, momentarily thrown off by the question.

"What if he couldn't leave because his soul was bound?" Caron continued, revealing the truth of history from the mouth of the very man in question.

But Amy shook her head again, denying that truth with stubborn resolve. She argued, "Even if that was true, Sir Cain would still have protected the tyrant. He was a man of great pride!"

"Pride? Hah, yeah, sure," Caron said sarcastically.

"What?" Amy responded angrily.

Caron's hand rested lightly on the hilt of Guillotine as he pointed out, "I get it, you're angry. But if we follow your logic, that makes my grandfather out to be a villain for killing a so-called hero, doesn't it? But Sir Cain was the real villain. Do you think you can become a great knight while so easily showing your hostility?"

As he spoke, Azure Mana began to emanate from him, spreading through the store in an instant. He continued, "A duel? Sounds good. I've been wanting to warm up anyway."

"Let's take this outside, right now—" Amy began.

"Is that necessary?" Caron retorted as he glared at Amy.

As Amy faced the overwhelming killing intent radiating from him, she pressed her lips together. She was afraid. The boy standing before her exuded an overwhelming presence, so terrifying that it was hard to put into words. Amy found herself instinctively gripping the hilt of her sword, fearing that her legs could give out if she didn't.

Caron noticed her reaction and smiled slightly. He had intended to tease her a bit, but she was handling the situation with more composure than he'd expected. He could see the determination in her eyes, the resolve to overcome her fear and stand her ground.

Impressive, Caron thought. Perhaps she wasn't so bad after all. Those who had such willpower were usually decent people. With that in mind, he decided to ease up on the mana.

Then, he asked her in a softer tone, "You said you haven't eaten yet, right?"

"...What does that have to do with anything?" Amy responded.

"Let's eat first. If we're going to duel, it's better to do it on a full stomach. I'll duel you after you've had a meal," Caron offered.

He felt a sudden urge to show her some kindness because he was proud of her. He'd believed he left nothing behind in his previous life, but he now realized that wasn't entirely true.

He wanted to hear the story about the knight commander who had once lost his soul to a demon. No matter how history had been reassessed, it was a past he'd expected the newly formed Imperial Guards would rather forget. And yet here was this promising knight, someone with a bright future, expressing admiration for him.

Caron suggested calmly, "Should we have some pork? Or maybe beef? Lamb is also good."

"...All of a sudden?" Amy asked.

"You have to decide now. Beef?" Caron asked again.

"Beef sounds goo—Wait, no! This isn't what's important! Are you mocking me right now?" Amy replied.

"Mocking you? Not at all. My father always said to only fight after you've eaten. So, we'll eat, then fight. Hugo, is there a good restaurant nearby?" Caron asked as he turned to his oldest cousin.

Hugo nodded, then replied, "There is, but are you seriously planning to take Dame Amy out to eat?"

"Well, fate brought us together, so the least I can do is feed her," Caron said.

"You're unbelievable, Caron... Fine, let's go eat. But, we just had breakfast not too long ago, so I'm not really hungry yet," Hugo admitted.

"You can think of it as a substitute for a protein shake," Caron suggested.

"Hmm, that's actually a good idea," Hugo agreed.

As Amy listened to the Leston cousins' conversation, she furrowed her brows and said, "Caron Leston, you're really—"

At that moment, Luhon, who had been quietly observing the situation with a smile, spoke up. "Dame Amy, haven't you already spent your salary paying off your family's debts? As Young Master Caron said, this might be fate, so why not join them for a meal?"

"Grandfather!" Amy exclaimed.

"Haha, no need to shout," Luhon chuckled.

After a few rounds of bickering, Amy finally gave in to her poverty and said, "... Alright, let's eat first and then duel, Caron Leston."

***

They had arrived at a restaurant in the boutique district, recommended by Hugo.

"Wow, she eats pretty well," Caron remarked, watching in amazement. "Leo, you should eat like that if you want to bulk up."

"...Dame Amy is quite different from what I imagined," Leo replied, equally impressed as they all watched Amy devour her meal.

Every time the servers brought out more meat, it disappeared almost instantly.

Amy even choked momentarily at one point because she was eating too quickly.

"Here, drink some water," Caron said as he pushed a glass of water toward her.

Amy quickly grabbed it and gulped it down. She said, suddenly sounding very polite, "Thank you."

The fierce female knight from earlier had completely vanished, leaving behind only a voracious eater.

"Don't misunderstand," she continued, holding onto a rib bone as she looked at Caron. "I'm only eating to be in top condition for our duel. I'm just making sure I'm at my best."

Caron chuckled at her weak attempt at an explanation. She said, "Yes, I understand. But your tone has gotten a lot more polite than before."

"My parents always said, 'Anyone who buys you meat is a good person.' And just so you don't misunderstand again, I'll pay you back for this meal as soon as I get my salary next month. I can't live with being in debt," Amy added as she continued to shove meat into her mouth.

Caron nodded approvingly as he watched her eat, then said, "Take your time and eat as much as you want. And Leo, stop staring at Amy."

"But honestly... She's beautiful. I can't help but look," Leo admitted.

Leo wasn't wrong. Amy's beauty was undeniable. Her flawless white skin was unmarred, and her light green hair shimmered with a healthy sheen. She had the kind of looks that would make anyone passing by stop and take a second glance.

However, what caught Caron's attention wasn't just her beauty. It was her talent. Despite her delicate appearance, her hands were covered in calluses and scars, which was clear evidence of rigorous sword training.

She seems to have talent for mana cultivation as well, Caron thought as he noted how easily she had surpassed the threshold of 4-Star.

Caron himself was on the brink of reaching 5-Star, having reached the pinnacle of 4-Star. But that was thanks to his extensive experience and the unparalleled power of the Ocean Dominance Arts. On the other hand, the Imperial Guards' cultivation techniques, while exceptional, weren't on the same level as the Ocean Dominance Arts. And yet, for Amy to have achieved this level despite those limitations...

I'd like to recruit her, Caron mused.

She was undeniably a talent worth having. Plus, she deeply respected Cain Latorre, which was a quality that earned her even more points in Caron's eyes.

"What's your connection with Luhon? I noticed you called him 'Grandfather' earlier," Caron asked.

Amy smiled as she answered, "My father used to frequent his store, so I grew up coming and going there, listening to his old stories. And that's where I first heard about Sir Cain, from Grandfather Luhon."

"Ah, really?" Caron asked.

"Yes," Amy replied.

"But it seems as if you know a lot about Cain Latorre," Caron remarked.

"Ever since I became interested in Sir Cain, I've been reading a lot of books published by the Imperial Academy. And the more I read, the more I realized how extraordinary he was," Amy said.

The mention of the academy brought back memories of Caron's old tutor. So, he asked, "Do you happen to know Professor Ulysses?"

"Of course! He's the professor who led the revaluation of Sir Cain Latorre. I've been meaning to visit him one day," Amy replied.

"Professor Ulysses was my tutor when I was young," Caron revealed. "I was planning to visit him soon. Would you like to join me?"

"Really? I'd be honored if you let me come along," Amy said, her voice filled with excitement.

Leo, who had been listening to their conversation, shook his head in disbelief and thought, He told me not to flirt with women, but look at him now; he's even worse.

To anyone observing, it seemed as if Caron was making a move on Amy. Although she didn't appear to notice, Leo was certain that was the case.

"Oh right, when should we have our duel?" Amy asked, shifting the topic.

"Right after we eat," Caron answered.

"I like that straightforward attitude. Honestly, I've been wanting to properly test out the Oceanwolf Sword Arts. I thought the exchange duels weren't enough..." Amy said.

"Are you sure about that? If we duel seriously, you might end up on the verge of death," Caron warned.

"That goes for you too. I don't go easy on anyone, even if they're younger than me," Amy said.

Caron was clearly pleased, saying, "I like that. We seem to be on the same page."

"I think so too," Amy agreed, then hesitated before asking, "Oh, could I perhaps order another plate of beef? Like I said before, I'll pay you back on my next payday..."

"Order as much as you want," Caron said.

"Thank you!" Amy said enthusiastically.

The conversation was too intense to have over a meal. As Leo quietly chewed on his meat and listened carefully, he frowned.

...Carrot and stick? he thought. Caron was giving gifts, and also inflicting pain. That was a method Leo had grown used to during the three years they'd spent together. He wondered if that could really be considered making a move on someone.

While Leo was lost in thought, Hugo, who was sitting next to them, had similar concerns. He looked at the two conversing and shook his head.

They're both not normal, Hugo thought. Especially Caron, the youngest one. Hugo realized he needed to reevaluate his opinion of Caron. He's definitely someone to watch out for. That brat doesn't care about the family's honor. He's a troublemaker... Yes, he's definitely a troublemaker.

Hugo resolved to keep a close eye on Caron, especially in the capital. However, at that moment, he had no idea what was about to happen next.

As Caron and his group, now including Amy, were enjoying their meal, the door to the restaurant swung open. A man dressed in flamboyant clothes stepped inside. His golden hair and tanned skin stood out as he confidently approached their table. Without hesitation, he draped his arm around Amy's shoulders and smirked.

As usual, disaster began with a small coincidence.

"There you are, Amy! You should've contacted me first when you came out," the man said with a grin.

And just like that, trouble began to brew.

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